New York News Day
MSG NYE 2013
This week, Phish dropped two noteworthy pieces of news centered around the state of New York. First and foremost, the band announced that they will return to Madison Square Garden for the fourth consecutive year for their Holiday Run. Though this comes as no surprise, it’s always nice to see more Phish shows on the docket. Phish also announced their next remastered release—a straight heater from Niagara Falls, New York on December 7, 1995. In my opinion, this is one of the very best shows from—arguably—the very best month in Phish history. A shrewd selection from Kevin Shapiro, this drop highlights the band at their absolute career peak (up until that point) as they worked their way to MSG at the end of the month. United in their Empire State of mind, each of these pieces of news deserve a tad more inspection.
12/7/95 Cover
Madison Square Garden, Phish, and New Years Run have become a 3.0 tradition. Starting in 2010, the band has returned to the hallowed round room each and every year for their Holiday bash, and each time we’ve witnessed a subsequent phase of renovation that has decreased the fun and all-out free for all that once existed in the late ‘90s. Now, the venue is extremely segmented, causing fans to scurry for GA West tickets only to discover the section packed like sardines and being forced to go small on the dance floor. Let’s face it, MSG ain’t what she once was and it’s time for a change. Hopefully the band will switch things up sooner than later, but for now it looks like we are heading back to the Big Apple to brave the cold weather for the holidays. With the band peaking again and returning to one of their favorite rooms, however, these shows carry a boat load of potential. Good luck in the ticket lottery!
Niagara Falls is the best release by Phish in quite some time. This highlights one of the peak shows of a peak era—December ’95. Within this show, the band throws down a fantastic first set “Slave” that sets up Hall of Fame versions versions of “Split Open and Melt,” “Reba,” “Mike’s” and “Weekapaug” in set two, not to mention an early, scorching version of “Taste.” This is an absolute can’t miss purchase, as Fred Kevorkian’s remastering has been dialed in on recent releases like Ventura and Hampton-Winston Salem. Bring that oh-so-crisp sound to the fast, frenetic and layered jamming of December ’95, and this drop is bound for glory. Here’s a 2008 piece I wrote on four shows that should be remastered—including Niagara Falls. Hey, two out of four ain’t bad!
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Jams of the Day: Niagara Falls 12/7/95
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ph95-12-07d2t02.mp3]
“Reba“
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/15-Reba.mp3]
does the Completist Harddrive exist as such anymore and if so could a guy get his hands on a copy these days?
I am in TT if anyone’s down.
I recall that beat down in AZ. Still can’t shake a stabbing I saw right before hampton one year on a head full. I’m bringing back folds in porn this fall.
“Now I wander in next to a bunch of pushing 40 guys like me with IPA bellies and a smartphone.”
“in contrast, back in 93, if you were a gangster on phish lot (there were none that i observed), it was kind of like being the toughest kid in the chess club.”
Funny Vapebrah. A weed and acid taking chess club but one where people really loved chess.
The lot rats/drug dealers really kicked in after Jerry died, and they had no where else to go and weren’t going to change their lifestyle. So (IMO) they went onto Phish lots, and openly hated on the music. Always blew me away to see vitrolic Jerry fans who hated Phish, but needed to be there to sell weight.
The people on here are really decent and not wooks. Probably wouldn’t be going to shows anymore if it weren’t for the good people of the BB and the reasonableness that is now Phish.
Maybe it’s the IPA bellies that have made us soft, and realizing that if someone is being an ass around us, we just need to move along. And that selling fake drugs is just bad karma. Not that I would ever be so desperate to buy anything off the lot.
T3, it does. Making a copy for MiA and the PhishTracks guy. Send a 3TB HD my way.
sweet, stoney. I’ll email you offline.
thanks
Speaking of IPA, I am making a trip to Alchemist tomorrow, and then we are heading to Vermont Pub & Brewery after that. Should be a good day.
spinning tunes
http://turntable.fm/bb_spiritual_plinko_funk
Exactly dorn. As lame and juvenile as it was, it still felt cool to be part of sonething that actually scared the shit out of ordinary americans. Even if you were somewhat straight. I still try to blast at least a few ghetto ass hip hop tracks if I’m chilling in the lot. It’s fun.
Plord, didnt see the ‘Column’ book… but can’t stop reading. Just finished book 3.
@Ravishing Rick. Frisell!! thanks for the clue in. My girl met was kickin’ it with him at the Vermont Studio Center during a residency. Still haven’t checked his new one. ‘Big Sur’.. Def gonna go see some of that.
Point being, poor black youth still scare america and even if they think I’m lame, I’m glad for that they exist and aren’t taking shit from nobody. Why I’ve loved gangsta rap since nwa and to this day. Glad my sophomore girl is the minority at school, even if they are middle class black kids. Girl is white as a ghost, but spits mad bars and knew all about bopping way before me.
Goat is releasing a live album, “Live Ballroom Ritual” on that VT band’s 30th anniversary date
Stream one cut here:
https://m.soundcloud.com/rocket-recordings/goat-let-it-bleed-live
Phlorida, I’ve heard that same Waves boot and captured fan aud. Mentioned it here once before. Can’t remember who but we had a claimer here, said it was them :0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-rB6Wgb044 for Bingos.
One Ghetto ass song, love it. Gorilla Zoe’s ‘Hood Nigga’. Bang this one out your car on Phish lot sometime.
Alchemist! Heady Topper is the rainbow unicorn of DIPAs. Or so I’ve been told. Have yet to taste the sweet nectar.
also no Heady Topper for me yet. Just got some more EB’s…
Sumodie. noice mang. wanna see that crew, would be so fun. I want to see Goat at the Fillmore!
dirtwolf
“I don’t need a scale for the work. I can eyeball purp.” -Zoe
Airwolf
Zoe blocked yo.
Air Bud
Airwalks
airwalk with lace savers yo!
Love the inner city kids. They need all the love they can get.
Having said that, it’s nice that my wife has changed school districts, to the “good” part of town…more support, less entrenchment, entitlement and distrust. Plus, one of the school colors is red, so I can bust out my vintage red Wayfarers (circa ’86) for Band events and not get shot.
Having said that, I’m glad I’ve been excused from tonight’s football game (there are band parents with nice cameras at this school- see “more support”) so I can enjoy another EB and watch the A’s in the playoffs.
Time for 2-20-93, straight from the sewer…thanks for the reminder Bingo’s!
well played